ISLAMABAD -- Seven people including three policemen were killed and at least 16 injured Tuesday in a suicide bomb attack near the military residence of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the Interior Ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told reporters that the bomber's head was found at the scene. He was believed to be aged between 19 and 23.

According to reports the suicide attacker attempted to cross the security check post 700 metres from the residence of a senior army general and blew himself up when an officer of Punjab police stopped him.

The blast occurred near the joint chief of staff committee's residence, not far from the offices of President General Pervez Musharraf and other top military officers.

Islamabad police had received intelligence reports a couple of days back that two suicide bombers had entered capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi and were planning to target key military installations as revenge for the army operation in Swat near the border with Afghanistan.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Islamic militants have intensified attacks on security personnel in recent months across the country, particularly in the northwest after a commando raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in July that killed more than 100 people.